Metafiction in the work of Tim O'Brien

This thesis explores Tim O'Brien's ideas on the definition of fiction, memory, imagination, the role they play in the creative process, and the functions that fiction has in the world at large. This will be explored through close examination of O'Brien's self-referential narrative technique. This thesis will answer three questions: using O'Brien's work as a single framework for discovery, whether a definition of fiction can be reached; whether an idea of what causes the impulse to tell stories be ascertained; and if the primary functions that stories serve be discovered. These questions will be explored through extensive close reading of O'Brien's self-referential texts and researching prior criticism, interviews, and reviews.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Arts (MA)

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

English

Grantor dc:publisher

University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Year

1999

Author dc:creator

• Kimmet, Michael Patrick

Contributors dc:contributor

• John H. Irsfeld

Statement dc:rights

• IN COPYRIGHT. For more information about this rights statement, please visit http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Language dc:language

English

Identifier

https://oasis.library.unlv.edu/rtds/1093

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:oasis.library.unlv.edu:rtds-2092